The elder dragon drapes a wing over her, letting out a deep, rumbling purr. Somehow, without words, she understands. A signal of reassurance, of comfort.
Her body is changed, different. In the rush of emotions she feels, she can't quite fully pick through the torrent of sensations she is feeling. But they feel right. So deeply right. Only in hindsight does she realize how strange she felt with that snoutless face, with nothing sprouting from her brow or back, how empty she felt without flame burning in her chest. She settles, lets her ragged breathing steady. From somewhere deep within, she lets out a little, sharp chirp.
The elder dragon gently brushes a wing down her spine. They speak words of comfort and reassurance, in a powerful, yet gentle voice.
"Calm, little hatchling. Relax. Don't be afraid; this is what you always were."
They're right. She's... herself, for the first time. Slowly, she becomes more and more conscious of her wings, tail, claws, scales, horns, snout. More and more cognizant of her inhumanity. Of the truth.
The rush of emotion starts to calm, replaced with a gentle feeling of peace. Her mind sorts through the memories of what had just occured. She had traveled to the elder dragon's cave, seeking advice from the wise old creature, and was surprised to see the way they reacted to the sight of her. The dragon addressed her as family, embraced her in a strong and yet gentle hug. And she felt a belonging that she had never felt before, and a gentle warmth rise through her heart...
She opens new eyes, begins to take in the world around her, and her changed draconic form. But more shocking than her long sinuous neck or massive, folded wings was the sight of tears of joy rolling down the elder dragon's face.
The massive beast reacts to her surprise with a gentle smile. They wipe a tear from their eye with a huge paw. "I'm sorry, it's always... so emotional for me to see a lost flame find themselves. Brings back memories, good ones."
She nods, quietly, gently. She isn't quite used enough to this new form to even attempt to wrangle her changed vocal chords into speech.
She gets up off the floor, and finds herself automatically settling into a catlike sitting pose, with her tail wrapped around her legs. She looks around the cave - and locks eyes with a curious little face.
"Oh?" the great dragon chuckles. "Why, look at that."
A little hatchling emerges from the shadows and gently approaches the newly-changed dragoness. The tiny little one gingerly sniffs the newcomer's paw... then jumps up onto her arm, tiny claws digging into her scales as they clamber up.
The little one clambers up onto the back of her neck, hangs onto her shining, silvery mane. They let out a tiny little screh, and without a moment's thought or hesitation, the dragoness replies with a pleased chitter, and a gentle little laugh.
Her eyes are filling with tears, a big fanged smile across her muzzled face. She stretches her wings out wide - feels their shape, their form, the way the membranes stretch between the wing-digits. She feels the weight of her horns on her head, not to mention the adorable little passenger sitting on her neck. It's all so right.
The hatchling clambers up to the top of her head, and gives her a playful little nibble on her horn. The elder dragon watches, a gentle presence. Other dragons start to emerge from elsewhere in the cave, curious about the newcomer, making friendly chirps and roars of welcoming. One of the smaller, younger ones runs right up to her and nuzzles her right in the side of the face.
She is surrounded by a riot of different scale colors; a whole flock of dragons. She understands their chirps and roars and chitters; she responds in kind, with a falling-pitched chirp of replied greeting. Her heart is aflutter - she feels a wonderful, blossoming sense of belonging, and completeness.
Her long lost kin, here to finally welcome her home.